“They’re not there.”
“What are not there?” Lieutenant Stefanelli said, striding over.
“The threads. There is simply no magic to call upon.”
“I don’t understand,” Ignacio said. “How can there be no magic?”
“So, let me get this right, we’ve been sent to a place with no Kerberos and, more importantly, no magic!” the lieutenant cried, a note of hysteria entering his voice. “Well, isn’t that just great? That silly bitch Makennon and her ancient wreck of a sorcerer have gone and sent us God knows where on a mission we can’t possibly fulfill. We’re farked! Good and proper farked!”
“How dare you refer to the Anointed Lord as a silly bitch?” Brother Sebastian said, getting to his feet. “She is the Lord of All’s representative on Twilight.”
“Yes, but here her authority counts for shit.”
Ignacio knew blasphemy when he heard it and, as a member of the Swords of Dawn, he was supposed to punish blasphemy wherever he encountered it.
He drew his sword.
“Stand down, Lieutenant Stefanelli. You are relieved of your duties, by the authority vested in me by the Anointed Lord, Katherine Makennon.”
“What?”
“You have committed an act of blasphemy and are no longer fit to serve as a representative of the Order of the Swords of Dawn.”
“Brother Sebastian,” Stefanelli said. “Kill this man.”
But the priest wasn’t armed, and even if he had been it was clear he had no inclination to carry out the lieutenant’s order. Indeed, nobody in the camp had moved to interrupt the altercation. As the newest recruit to the Swords, Ignacio was taking an enormous risk, but ever since the light of the Lord had been revealed to him, he was determined to take his duties seriously.
Lieutenant Stefanelli used his own sword to bat away Ignacio’s blade.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Ignacio. Has the sun got to you? Do you even know how to use that thing? Makennon only sent you on this expedition because of your affiliation with the rogue crew of the Llothriall. Don’t think for a moment that the Faith has any trust in you as a member of the Swords, or that it was ever the intention that you return from this expedition alive.”